Between your philosophy on X-Force no longer being allowed to be a kill squad and the fact that you immediately retconned Xavier’s murders at the end of Krakoa, a pattern is starting to emerge.
Do you intend to make your tenure on the X-Men less morally gray than they’ve been written as for the last 45 years?
Do you intend to present them as more plainly heroic?
Do they X-heroes now have a no-kill code similar to the Avengers or Fantastic Four?
No one said anything about cold blooded murder being a necessary part. But that they would constantly push the line. From Colossus killing Proteus followed by the Phoenix powered Jean Grey annihilating entire worlds (to just Wolverine’s existence as a core member of the team - but you wanted examples other than him) the X-Men have been pushing lines of acceptable/normal hero behavior for almost 50 years.
Reread the whole period post-Mutant Massacre when they start employing brutal new tactics and operating in the shadows.
They’re constantly defined by the limits they push
You were the one who seemed sad that there couldn't be 'kill squads' or that Xavier couldn't be a murderer and you seem unhappy that the X-Men can just be heroic.
Killing Proteus was a heroic act as it saved lives. Phoenix killing entire worlds was not heroic unless you think it was - it's unclear as you have joined these two things together.
Brevoort is known for old school sensibilities and wanting the comics he reads to be like those 60s and 70s books he read as a child. Backtracking on the more modern/darker aspects of the franchise immediately seem to be signs that the line as a whole will shift to lighter and more heroic fare. I never even said if that was bad or good.
It was a question based on the evidence we already have that he’s uncomfortable with the darker aspects that the franchise is known for
The late 80s definitely had the Xmen killing - Colossus snapping a marauder's neck in issue 211, both Colossus and Havok killing humans turned Brood in issues 232-234, Wolverine and Rogue (under the control of Carol Danvers) killing Genoshan soldiers in issues 235-238...the X-Men were getting definitely going to a darker place. I don't see this as an issue personally as they were not traditional superheroes (in my eyes)...but you cannot deny there was a body count.
As someone who enjoys morally-grey Xavier, I was pleasantly surprised by the retcon. I think I'm with Tom that writers have gone a little too far into making him the bad guy.
That being said, I was also a little disappointed that early-Krakoa, creepy-as-all-get-out Xavier wasn't really doing anything nefarious haha.
Hello Brevoort! Thank you for answering my questions.
Phoenix was glorious and I'm glad you're pushing female characters to have solo series 🙌 I'm hoping for more solo series wether they are minis or ongoings ( I loved Nate Grey and the Dominio solo ) since I'm a fan of them becuase they explore the depths of a character.
I think I asked many questions already but here's 2 left.
Did you have any say in the characters costumes or did you leave that to the artist and writers ?
Another thing is - if you're allowed to say , how many books were pitched by writers or artists themselfs ?
The Distinguished Competition has recently announced their upcoming relaunch and the thing is, it’s not really a relaunch. It looks like all the books with new and old teams alike are keeping their numberings, except maybe JSA which is it’s own can of worms. Personally, I’m against over-relaunching books for many reasons that if I went in on, would make this comment longer than the newsletter. My question is, what do you think of this tactic of having a bold new initiative without relaunching books?
Phoenix was amazing ! Loved it since Jean defo deserved a solo series I personally got a few variant copies such as the Peach one
Here's one thing I wanted to ask , since you previously mentioned that from the ashes initiative ends on October - will there be a new name for the next phases ?
Another thing I wanted to ask , in Phoenix Jean and Scott have a convo - will we be excepting more characters to be showing up in other books? ( for example let's just say Betsy for a issue in Uncanny or Rogue in X-factor)
Thank you for answering me, sir! You made me feel better about it, as well as that someone pointed out that Beast did go through proper resurrection protocols. Bad-Beast cloned his body, Sage took that body and the spare Cerebro bad-Beast left behind and used her telepath abilities to bring his soul back into the body. That still leaves the question of how two Beasts could be running around(like Talon/Laura), maybe MacKay will have an explanation, but if not, you're right, I shouldn't get hung up on details. It's a bad habit of mine. I do wonder if Beast's image has been permanently tainted among fans after being villain-batted. But still, I'm excited to see what the future brings!
I was kinda hung up on the resurrection thing when Krakoa first came out -- and then they pretty much just ignored the nitty gritty details and were like "Nah, it's really them just go with it" and I think that was probably the right call.
Yeah, like I'm sure that someday a writer who has nostalgia for Krakoa will come back and do a story about the in universe ramifications of resurrection but until then I'm happy to just say it aint that deep
"the X-Men were comprised of a series of beautiful people living rent-free in an enormous mansion with all expenses paid—and they still walked around all day feeling victimized."
What if you don't want to live in the mansion, or be a superhero or a soldier? What if you still have human family, or a home/job/neighborhood that you would rather be devoted to where you fit in better?. There has to be some mutants that look at the Xavier/Magneto choice and pick neither. I think there's a book there.
Tom, how do you deal with comic book leaks? Last week a very important page from NYX was all over Twitter/X and that took away some of the excitement we could have had reading the book. It's a bit sad because it's inevitable not to see this kind of thing when you're on the geeky side of that app.
However, I'm still very excited to read it, I love the characters and HIVEMIND.
You've been referring to problems with your leg, and how they have complicated your commute to work and other job-related functions. You've been with Marvel for 35 years now, and you're approaching your 60th birthday. Is retirement on your mind?
As one of those Spider-Girl fans, it was the best Spider book on the market at a time the main book just wasn’t that good. I say that as someone who has purchased every issue of the main book since #150 with the exception of the Byrne run and I did get the first arc of that.
I still remember the first time I heard of Tsunami and it supposedly being manga-influenced: It was during an interview for Wizard magazine about the impending launch of SENTINEL and INHUMANS, asking me how manga had inspired those titles!
Dunno if you'll see this in time, or if it's already too late, but with regards to your leg issues you might still be able to rent a seated scooter for San Diego; I'm doing so this time due to knee issues and found the price reasonable at $149 for Preview Night + all four days. Of course you may not need one due to planning on spending most of your time at the Marvel booth. But ping me at my name at Google's email service if you want details.
Tom, one of the things that caught my eye when From The Ashes was announced was that multiple teams would operate in different cities, such as New Orleans and Chicago. That was something that really excited me because a long-standing criticism of Marvel that I have is that the majority of their heroes operate in NYC.
It’s why I also find myself drawn to books like Yost’s Scarlet Spider run, because not only is that book set somewhere different from NYC, that book also uses its setting for as much as it can.
I gotta ask, how was it decided to set the books in those cities? Did writers such as Simone and Ewing want to use those cities or did you suggest it to them? How much of the setting will be used?
Thank you for answering my question, I didn't realize it was that difficult to wrangle a character from another line's books like that. There's something about that Green Lantern #8 cover that I just really like.
Since you mentioned before about being a Gundam fan (or at least a fan of Gundam SEED), can I ask what your favourite Gundam mobile suit is, whether from that series or overall? The ill-fated Saviour was my favourite from SEED. And if it's overall, the F91 is a classy look.
Heh… Believe it or not, it was actually me that made you that "I'm sorry you didn't care for it" seal, back when I had a Tumblr of my own called Comic Artist Evolution. 😀 And it was certainly because that was such a recurring phrase of yours, it reminded me of a rubber-stamp type usage. And thought that a digital version might add some flavor. I added the Latin maxims that roughly translate to "there's no accounting for taste" and "to each their own" because I felt they kind of remind us that we can like what we like or not, but to not confuse our subjective preferences with objective quality. I was certainly thrilled that you used it a little bit and that it made enough of an impression that you came back to it.
I didn't make the second one though, I'm sure that was Mr. Taraborelli's work.
Between your philosophy on X-Force no longer being allowed to be a kill squad and the fact that you immediately retconned Xavier’s murders at the end of Krakoa, a pattern is starting to emerge.
Do you intend to make your tenure on the X-Men less morally gray than they’ve been written as for the last 45 years?
Do you intend to present them as more plainly heroic?
Do they X-heroes now have a no-kill code similar to the Avengers or Fantastic Four?
Other than Wolverine, who in the X-Men were being being "morally gray" in the first 25 years of their existence?
Oh sweet summer child. Read Claremont’s X-Men from 1979-1988 if you want some specifically from the first 25 years.
Yeah, read them at the time. Be more specific. You seem to be referencing that they were cold-blooded murderers. I don't remember that.
No one said anything about cold blooded murder being a necessary part. But that they would constantly push the line. From Colossus killing Proteus followed by the Phoenix powered Jean Grey annihilating entire worlds (to just Wolverine’s existence as a core member of the team - but you wanted examples other than him) the X-Men have been pushing lines of acceptable/normal hero behavior for almost 50 years.
Reread the whole period post-Mutant Massacre when they start employing brutal new tactics and operating in the shadows.
They’re constantly defined by the limits they push
"No one said anything about cold blooded murder"
You were the one who seemed sad that there couldn't be 'kill squads' or that Xavier couldn't be a murderer and you seem unhappy that the X-Men can just be heroic.
Killing Proteus was a heroic act as it saved lives. Phoenix killing entire worlds was not heroic unless you think it was - it's unclear as you have joined these two things together.
Brevoort is known for old school sensibilities and wanting the comics he reads to be like those 60s and 70s books he read as a child. Backtracking on the more modern/darker aspects of the franchise immediately seem to be signs that the line as a whole will shift to lighter and more heroic fare. I never even said if that was bad or good.
It was a question based on the evidence we already have that he’s uncomfortable with the darker aspects that the franchise is known for
The late 80s definitely had the Xmen killing - Colossus snapping a marauder's neck in issue 211, both Colossus and Havok killing humans turned Brood in issues 232-234, Wolverine and Rogue (under the control of Carol Danvers) killing Genoshan soldiers in issues 235-238...the X-Men were getting definitely going to a darker place. I don't see this as an issue personally as they were not traditional superheroes (in my eyes)...but you cannot deny there was a body count.
As someone who enjoys morally-grey Xavier, I was pleasantly surprised by the retcon. I think I'm with Tom that writers have gone a little too far into making him the bad guy.
That being said, I was also a little disappointed that early-Krakoa, creepy-as-all-get-out Xavier wasn't really doing anything nefarious haha.
Hello Brevoort! Thank you for answering my questions.
Phoenix was glorious and I'm glad you're pushing female characters to have solo series 🙌 I'm hoping for more solo series wether they are minis or ongoings ( I loved Nate Grey and the Dominio solo ) since I'm a fan of them becuase they explore the depths of a character.
I think I asked many questions already but here's 2 left.
Did you have any say in the characters costumes or did you leave that to the artist and writers ?
Another thing is - if you're allowed to say , how many books were pitched by writers or artists themselfs ?
The Distinguished Competition has recently announced their upcoming relaunch and the thing is, it’s not really a relaunch. It looks like all the books with new and old teams alike are keeping their numberings, except maybe JSA which is it’s own can of worms. Personally, I’m against over-relaunching books for many reasons that if I went in on, would make this comment longer than the newsletter. My question is, what do you think of this tactic of having a bold new initiative without relaunching books?
Phoenix was amazing ! Loved it since Jean defo deserved a solo series I personally got a few variant copies such as the Peach one
Here's one thing I wanted to ask , since you previously mentioned that from the ashes initiative ends on October - will there be a new name for the next phases ?
Another thing I wanted to ask , in Phoenix Jean and Scott have a convo - will we be excepting more characters to be showing up in other books? ( for example let's just say Betsy for a issue in Uncanny or Rogue in X-factor)
Thank you for answering me, sir! You made me feel better about it, as well as that someone pointed out that Beast did go through proper resurrection protocols. Bad-Beast cloned his body, Sage took that body and the spare Cerebro bad-Beast left behind and used her telepath abilities to bring his soul back into the body. That still leaves the question of how two Beasts could be running around(like Talon/Laura), maybe MacKay will have an explanation, but if not, you're right, I shouldn't get hung up on details. It's a bad habit of mine. I do wonder if Beast's image has been permanently tainted among fans after being villain-batted. But still, I'm excited to see what the future brings!
Thank you again for taking the time to answer me!
I was kinda hung up on the resurrection thing when Krakoa first came out -- and then they pretty much just ignored the nitty gritty details and were like "Nah, it's really them just go with it" and I think that was probably the right call.
Yeah, like I'm sure that someday a writer who has nostalgia for Krakoa will come back and do a story about the in universe ramifications of resurrection but until then I'm happy to just say it aint that deep
"the X-Men were comprised of a series of beautiful people living rent-free in an enormous mansion with all expenses paid—and they still walked around all day feeling victimized."
What if you don't want to live in the mansion, or be a superhero or a soldier? What if you still have human family, or a home/job/neighborhood that you would rather be devoted to where you fit in better?. There has to be some mutants that look at the Xavier/Magneto choice and pick neither. I think there's a book there.
Tom, who do you think are the best mutant fighters?
Tom, how do you deal with comic book leaks? Last week a very important page from NYX was all over Twitter/X and that took away some of the excitement we could have had reading the book. It's a bit sad because it's inevitable not to see this kind of thing when you're on the geeky side of that app.
However, I'm still very excited to read it, I love the characters and HIVEMIND.
You don't have to be on Twitter.
Oh i do
You've been referring to problems with your leg, and how they have complicated your commute to work and other job-related functions. You've been with Marvel for 35 years now, and you're approaching your 60th birthday. Is retirement on your mind?
As one of those Spider-Girl fans, it was the best Spider book on the market at a time the main book just wasn’t that good. I say that as someone who has purchased every issue of the main book since #150 with the exception of the Byrne run and I did get the first arc of that.
Tom, who are the top 10 richest characters in all of Marvel?
I still remember the first time I heard of Tsunami and it supposedly being manga-influenced: It was during an interview for Wizard magazine about the impending launch of SENTINEL and INHUMANS, asking me how manga had inspired those titles!
Dunno if you'll see this in time, or if it's already too late, but with regards to your leg issues you might still be able to rent a seated scooter for San Diego; I'm doing so this time due to knee issues and found the price reasonable at $149 for Preview Night + all four days. Of course you may not need one due to planning on spending most of your time at the Marvel booth. But ping me at my name at Google's email service if you want details.
Tom, one of the things that caught my eye when From The Ashes was announced was that multiple teams would operate in different cities, such as New Orleans and Chicago. That was something that really excited me because a long-standing criticism of Marvel that I have is that the majority of their heroes operate in NYC.
It’s why I also find myself drawn to books like Yost’s Scarlet Spider run, because not only is that book set somewhere different from NYC, that book also uses its setting for as much as it can.
I gotta ask, how was it decided to set the books in those cities? Did writers such as Simone and Ewing want to use those cities or did you suggest it to them? How much of the setting will be used?
Thank you for answering my question, I didn't realize it was that difficult to wrangle a character from another line's books like that. There's something about that Green Lantern #8 cover that I just really like.
Since you mentioned before about being a Gundam fan (or at least a fan of Gundam SEED), can I ask what your favourite Gundam mobile suit is, whether from that series or overall? The ill-fated Saviour was my favourite from SEED. And if it's overall, the F91 is a classy look.
Heh… Believe it or not, it was actually me that made you that "I'm sorry you didn't care for it" seal, back when I had a Tumblr of my own called Comic Artist Evolution. 😀 And it was certainly because that was such a recurring phrase of yours, it reminded me of a rubber-stamp type usage. And thought that a digital version might add some flavor. I added the Latin maxims that roughly translate to "there's no accounting for taste" and "to each their own" because I felt they kind of remind us that we can like what we like or not, but to not confuse our subjective preferences with objective quality. I was certainly thrilled that you used it a little bit and that it made enough of an impression that you came back to it.
I didn't make the second one though, I'm sure that was Mr. Taraborelli's work.