Last week, I asked a question about Phoenix of the White Crown and Cosmic Phoenix by Stephanie Phillips, which was not answered. Here is the question that I posted. I am a significant fan of Jean Grey and am pleased that Stephanie Phillips will continue Phoenix Issues for another year. I do have one question. As we both know, Jean Grey had a major Cosmic Upgrade (Phoenix Issue 008 page 22), confirmed by Captain Marvel and Loki (Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider Issue 13 page 19.
Question For Tom Brevoort:
The QUESTION: Is the current version of the Cosmic Phoenix more potent than the Phoenix of the White Crown, or other version of the Phoenix in Marvel history?
I am not explicitly asking about Jean Grey versus other Marvel Cosmic-powered beings since the question is about Stephanie Phillips' Cosmic Phoenix and the Phoenix of the White Crown.
Thank you for your time and good work.
Also, I am not Patrick Thomas Cabahug, who bothered you last week. I'm his identical triplet brother, and I have another brother, Joseph Cabahug.
I do have to ask. Regarding Imperial #1, what's with J'Son forgetting that he was trapped in Amber, and Peter being friendly with his father by forgetting that he committed genocide by wiping out Hala, or Nova forgetting that the Nova Corps were wiped out by the Universal Church of Truth in 2019 instead of by the Annihilation Wave in 2006, and forgetting that he's like brothers with Peter and that he said he loves him several times, or Ronan forgetting that he is dead and that the Royal Accuser is Lauri-Ell, or Kl'rt forgetting he swore loyalty to the Kree/Skrull Empire but is now a separatist, or Jen forgetting that she's a superhero and not reacting when Bruce murders someone in front of her, especially considering she's never been to Sakaar so she wouldn't know the custom, or Bruce gathering his family but forgetting about Skaar, or Hiro-Kala forgetting he was a sun, or every inhabitant of Sakaar En Nevo forgetting that the original Sakaar was restored in 2018?
After Storm #9 i honestly think that Ororo fits the cosmic line way better than Jean tbh. Jean should be on earth with the X-Men and leave the entity stuff to Storm, which is outselling PHOENIX
I don't believe Tom Brevoort has plans to do that with Storm. As you read in Storm # 09, she has her issues. Besides, Storm is only the Avatar of Eternity. Take Eternity out of the Storm; she is just a regular Omega-level Storm. She isn't exactly Eternity made flesh. Compared to Jean Grey. Jean Grey is Phoenix, and Phoenix is Jean Grey. She existed before the creation of the cosmos. The Phoenix is much older than Eternity. Eternity exists in billions of years. Eternity said, "For the first time in the billion years that I have existed. My brother, Oblivion, will finally know the true meaning of fear. He and Hadad will know defeat by my hand."
Then, compared that to the Phoenix's words, "The beginning is nothing. Before the Cosmos took form, we were a flicker in the darkness...A manifestation of the universe's yearning for life. From the first thought that echoed through the emptiness. We were there. A Guardian of Creation. A catalyst for evolution. All life emerges from our flames... and so shall all life return to them." (Phoenix Issue 008). It already been settled what the Cosmic Phoenix role is, "I am the Phoenix, and I am eternal, from the ashes of every world I touch, new life will always rise, I am the Guardian of the cosmic balance, the keeper of the flame that ensures the universe remains ever in motion, ever alive, and I will extinguish any threat that dares to challenge the sanctity of existence." - Jean Elaine Grey, Cosmic Phoenix (Phoenix Issue 008, panel page 22).
Though I won't discuss the issue of who is more powerful, I will admit that Storm herself has limits because she is Eternity's avatar (I don't like to pit Storm vs. Phoenix). On the other hand, Jean Grey has complete control of who she is as the Phoenix. I don't care that Storm is outselling Phoenix. I want to read a good storyline. I'm not playing that game if you are hinting at Jean Grey vs. Storm. That's not nice. We don't pit sisters against sisters.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJR8JzEx4id/ I don't usually show my personal IG but this is a photograph of my two identical brothers, Joseph and Patrick, my older sister, Pamela and her husband.
So your logic is just because Storm is outselling that Phoenix means that Jean should drop what she's doing and let Storm deal with cosmic-level threats. It doesn’t work that way. The Phoenix has existed before time, and the Cosmos is her domain, not Storm. Eternity came when the Universe was created. Sales should not dictate who should take responsibility, and as my brother Emmanuel said. Eternity can just pick another Avatar, and Storm is just Omega Omega-Level Mutant with no cosmic power. Thereby removing her cosmic responsibility.
I vote Jean should drop what she's doing because it removes her completely and totally from her husband's life and the X-Men in general. I feel we need Jean as part of the X-Men, not just as the latest cosmic book that will fade eventually into the ether.
I think a compromised is order Jean remains the Phoenix but rejoin the X-Men and do what she did during the Phoenix Saga, and X-Men when regain the Phoenix before she killed by Xorn. This way it make everyone happy
Have you ever read the Bristol Comic 200AD? I loved Strontium Dog more than Judge Dredd - if Carlos Ezquerra had drawn a Marvel Hero who would you have liked it to be? I do think he was a genius.
It's an unusual thing, coming up on an anniversary of a passing like that. I understand the melancholy. I lost two grandparents within a month of each other just two years ago now.
Editors I've seen move across various Marvel books with regularity. Are there any editors (assistant, associate, or otherwise) who are seen as uniquely equipped for specific lines or books, or is everyone expected to be equally proficient across all kinds of books? I guess what I am asking is, are certain skills or mindsets seen as fitting for some books and not others among editors?
Why do you think a Cyclops solo series isn't a viable long-term proposition? Magik, Jean, Psylocke, Storm, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Bishop, Domino, Iceman, X-Man... do you really believe that all of these characters are more popular than Cyclops? I mean, they've all gotten solo series, some of which are ongoing right now, but Cyclops continues to be treated like an E-list character. :((
Until recently, most of those characters did not had ongoing books. Gambit, Wolverine, and Cable did. The others I believe only had limited series, which Cyclops as a character also did. I recall one in the very early 2000s and one on the 2010s.
Hi Tom - news is coming out that the Marvel Masterworks line is being put on hold indefinitely.
What are your thoughts (I believe you worked on an iteration of the line in the 90s)? Do you think the 1980s is a natural end point to this series of reprints? Was the cleaning up of the artwork too much of a cost issue and do you think other formats will be able to do the same?
I personally would have liked to have the line complete a bunch of classic runs they are getting close to (my collector neurosis in full display) - Mazzucelli on DD, Simonson Thor, Buscema Avengers, etc..but that's as arbitrary as the next guy's endpoint - so I guess we're lucky to have gotten as much as we did!
I’m sorry for your loss. Time can bring up feelings in unexpected ways.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question about the Cyclops solo series. I was hoping you could clarify what makes an ongoing series for Scott potentially unviable in the long term. In your view, what factors would need to be in place to make it sustainable?
To be honest, what niche would he occupy? Cyclops is all about the X-Men and derives much from being a leader. On his own what stories could you tell that don't make him Diet Hawkeye or Daredevil Zero?
Just as an element, it would be fun to explore his DJ side. I've enjoyed him as a sailor so some nautical stories would be fun. You could do some stories of him as a pilot. Honestly, finding yourself after dedicating your life to work is a real theme and a viable story strategy. Agreed that doing an ongoing is tricky though.
Cyclops isn’t just “the guy who leads the X-Men.” That’s part of his deal, sure, but the more interesting part is how much of himself he’s buried beneath that role. A solo series wouldn’t take that away. It would actually explore it. He’s not some knockoff Daredevil or budget Hawkeye and calling him that is lazy and disrespectful.
His niche is different: a tactical, emotionally-repressed strategist trying to hold himself together while carrying the entire legacy of mutantkind. He’s got internal conflicts, buried trauma, and a fractured underexplored past. There’s so much rich material that never gets space in team books.
And solos aren’t supposed to beat team books anyway. They complement them. Team books focus on the big picture. Solos let characters breathe. Let them feel. Let them screw up. Let them grow.
Plus, a solo gives Scott a chance to actually branch out beyond just mutant spaces. He could team up with Daredevil. Scott can fight blind, so Murdock helping him sharpen that would be incredible. Or go on an adventure with his brothers. Reconnect with the Champions from his time-displaced past. There’s so much potential. At the end of the day, it would be about Scott learning and unlearning things. There can be a running theme where Scott actually gets real therapy which can be shown here and there as issues progress.
He can still lead the X-Men in the main book while doing all this.
He deserves a solo because he’s one of the most complex and misunderstood characters in Marvel.
Questioning his solo potential like this often limits what stories a character can tell, boxing them into arbitrary boundaries instead of allowing growth.
I think you gave the game away there when you said much of the pressure on him cones from being a mutant leader. The fact is, there are less ways to tell an ongoing story with him that isn't in a team context. While everything you outlined can be done in a team book, over time and gradually.
I feel like I already said this clearly. A solo series isn’t about just his leadership role, it’s about exploring his personal struggles and growth in ways team books don’t have the space or focus to handle.
Team books are mostly about missions and group dynamics. Maybe introspective moments too, but those are few and far between.
If you think that covers everything Scott has to offer, you’re seriously underselling the character.
Jed’s book is great, but it’s not a Cyclops solo. It’s an ensemble title with dozens of moving parts, and Cyclops has gotten maybe one panel of real introspection in 17 issues. And Jed should tell the story he's telling, but that doesn't mean there's no room or need for a separate, focused solo about Cyclops.
Telling people to “be patient” while minimizing the value of a solo series, shifting arguments every time a point is addressed, and reducing Cyclops to just “mutant leader” only proves you’re not here to actually consider the idea. You are here just to shut it down.
At this point, it’s clear this conversation isn’t about engaging with potential. It’s about defending a narrow view of who gets to grow.
Hey Tom this is my first time making a comment here but I’ve been reading for a while. What sparked my interest was your claim that a Cyclops solo series wouldn’t be viable long term. It’s odd to me and a lot of his fans because he seems to be one of the main X-men without a solo at the moment. What determines viability? Is there something you have knowledge of that we don’t see that makes you come to this conclusion? If so can you share it? From what I’ve seen, his fans have been begging for a solo series for a long time and there have been writers who’ve been begging to write it. You’ve taken the chance with Psylocke, Magik, Storm, and Jean, I think the Cyclops fanbase would love if you took the chance with him as well. We see that with a writer and artist that genuinely loves the character, a solo could be good and last quite a while. Us Cyclops fans are waiting for our time to look forward to a solo just as we look forward to Jed Mackays excellent book. Is there anything us fans can do that could make you see that the demand is there?
I love Cyclops but I can't see an ongoing with him - he is too attached as part of the team - to the point where he left his wife and kid to go back to being a team leader in the 80s.He does not have much of a personality away from the X-men (or a girlfriend).
No rogues gallery to call his own really - I mean maybe there is something there with Maddie Pryor and Sinister but it is pretty convoluted.
Jean Grey tends to be a one-dimensional character who is only defined by the Phoenix force, being Cyclops' wife and Wolverine's girlfriend, and who is always dying and being resurrected in a constant cycle. And yet she has a solo book. So, just as the Phoenix book isn't for me, maybe you should consider that a Cyclops solo might not be for you.
The same can be said about Cyclops. There are many fans who would like a solo series. I couldn't care less about Phoenix at this point. Maybe in the next run she'll be an Inhuman or a Skrull and nothing related to Jean again.
... sorry are we talking about the same jean grey? A one dimensional character?!?! what on earth are you on about she's one of the most interesting and layered characters out there, there's so much more to her than just being the phoenix or her relation to cyclops and wolverine's girlfriend. I agree with your main point that cyclops might be able to hold a series and haven't been a huge fan of stephanie phillips' phoenix series, but you can't just get away with the utter lies and slander about jean
It’s simple to have Cyclops go on solo adventures the same way both Psylocke and Magik are right now. It’s the writers job to create rogues for him and a solo is a perfect way to introduce them without needing to focus on an entire team. The fact that he’s almost a clean sleight in that aspect is what has writers jumping at the chance to write him. His main goal is Mutant equality and relations. That’s his lane. Have him speak up for mutants, protect them, and discover himself outside of a team. Explore his trauma and what he’s gone through that’s always swept under the rug. Just because it’s a solo means he’s by himself. He can have a small cast around him, introduce new characters, make him experience new things. Everything you listed is a problem only if you lack creativity. And saying he doesn’t have a personality is wild lol
Solo allows Scott more room to breathe and really delve into who he is as a character. There’s nothing wrong with fleshing him out in a solo and have the team book focused on team dynamics. No one says “captain America and iron man don’t need solos cus their stories can be told in Avengers.” So idk why you’d want to limit Scott to only a team book
Sorry I don’t agree with this. The writers and editors have fresh ideas and can easily establish cyclops’s backstory and also build a rogues gallery. There’s a lot he can offer even with his interaction with avengers and I want him to interact with guardians as well. Marvel needs to take the initiative they don’t seem to especially with Scott.
He already has a backstory though. I'm confused by the desire for this. Has there ever been an X-Men solo story that was better than the actual X-Men book? Not even Wolverine under Hama managed that.
You're pointing to a storyline from the 1980s, and one that even then was wrapped in editorial mess and grief-fueled decisions. The whole Maddie-Jean situation is famously convoluted, but let’s move past that. Yes, Scott is deeply tied to the X-Men. But that’s not a reason against a solo, it’s the exact reason for it. That tension between personhood and duty, between “Scott” and “Cyclops"
As for saying he doesn’t have much of a personality? That's just not accurate. It’s more that team books rarely have the space to deep-dive into a character's personality. But it's there and we see it. He is emotionally repressed, deeply principled, driven by guilt and duty, loyal to a fault, often unsure if he’s doing the right thing but doing it anyway. Now, if you're saying he's cold or unlikable, that's the point. He’s not the charming leader. He’s withdrawn, calculating, emotionally bottled-up. He’s a contingency planner, often coded by fans as neurodivergent. And because of that, he's intensely relatable to people who don’t always see themselves in traditional superheroes. His story isn’t about being easy to like. It’s about being real and that’s exactly what makes him solo material.
Not every solo needs a traditional rogues' gallery either. Many of Cyclops’s greatest villains are systemic: the government, military forces, anti-mutant hate groups, and the legacy of mutant trauma. Plus there’s Sinister, Apocalypse, Bastion, and more. He's literally threatened most of the villians and I'm sure they all want him dead. He even has an evil ancestor, Amanda Mueller.
I'm interested to hear the answer to this too. Cyclops is the X-Men's Captain America and while I don't care for the character, Cap has legs. Why wouldn't Cyclops?
So if Cyclops is so unpopular that no one would read a solo ongoing about him despite being the first X-Man and being around for so long might as well retire him, right? I’m sure X-Men would do better if someone like Daken was the leader, he can carry a solo after all or maybe Psylocke given that she’s already on the team, surely being a d-lister despite being the leader of the X-Men for so long should be seen as a colossal failure. I mean even Squirrel Girl is way more popular based on Marvel Rivals.
Doe, chill. He didn't say Cyclops is a D-lister, he didn't say Cyclops is unpopular. Saying that a Cyclops ongoing may not be "a viable long-term proposition" isn't the kind of insult that you're making it out to be.
Was there ever any thought given to having Sam Wilson become Captain America without retaining any Falcon accoutrements — just fully stepping into the role as himself?
I always thought that would’ve added a compelling layer: embracing all the racial dynamics and the challenge of not having the super-soldier serum, while learning to wield the shield without the safety net of his previous gimmick. Almost like a Batman-style reinvention — relying purely on peak human conditioning and determination.
I get the desire to preserve elements of Sam’s identity, but I wonder if visually diverging too much may have softened the statement. It’s hard to second-guess now that he’s the Captain America of the MCU, but it still feels a bit like a hat on a hat — layering Falcon over Cap instead of letting the new identity stand fully on its own. Clint Barton adopted someone else’s identity twice, and both times — as Giant-Man and as Ronin — he dropped the quiver of trick arrows. It’s hard to imagine he’d have been expected to keep them if he became Captain America.
YMMV, but to me it would’ve been more powerful — visually and symbolically — to see a Black man fully wearing Steve Rogers’ classic uniform, pirate boots and all. Sam is one of the few legacy characters who didn’t adapt to the mantle so much as blend it with his previous one.
And on that note:
Once Steve came back and a new Falcon had been introduced, was there ever any serious discussion of Sam keeping his Captain America costume but giving him the (frankly obvious) codename The Eagle?
It feels like a name that’s just sitting there, waiting to be used — unless the Jim Henson Company has a problem with it…
A LOT of Marvel games are being announced recently. How close is the relationship between Marvel Games and Marvel Comics? Are you involved in any game in any capacity whatsoever?
You seem to be a fan of Matt Wagner’s Grendel series. Got a few questions around that topic.
1) Are you keeping up with the “modern” releases? If so, what do you think?
2) I know Wagner has done very little work for Marvel thru the years. Surely he’s been approached thru the years for a project or two. Have you ever asked him to come aboard and join a project?
3) Given the success of the two Batman/Grendel minis (and even the Shadow/Grendel story) do you feel Grendel could be a good character for Marvel to crossover with? If so, which iteration?
Thanks for taking the time to check these questions out and for putting this out every week. It really is a lot of fun and I think I learn at least one new thing from every edition.
I just want to say that give cyclops a chance as an ongoing solo title. He always been a team member and leader. There’s a lot that can be explored with his character, he can interact with street level heroes in New York such as Matt Murdock and defenders. Then he has Corsair in space, also he has his panic attack which can be discussed. I believe he is an important character and is the core pillar of X-men. If psylocke and Magik can get a solo ongoing. I am sure Scott can as well. Our boy needs more prominence, specially now that we have seen how storm solo is ongoing and is received very well.
I think the best way to achieve this is to go big on whatever Cyclops mini-series happens. Show that there is an audience for the character in the long term.
Sorry, I know it’s not your book, but will Robbie Reyes have a role in Spirits of Violence?
Or anything, just give me more Robbie Reyes
Good Morning,
Last week, I asked a question about Phoenix of the White Crown and Cosmic Phoenix by Stephanie Phillips, which was not answered. Here is the question that I posted. I am a significant fan of Jean Grey and am pleased that Stephanie Phillips will continue Phoenix Issues for another year. I do have one question. As we both know, Jean Grey had a major Cosmic Upgrade (Phoenix Issue 008 page 22), confirmed by Captain Marvel and Loki (Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider Issue 13 page 19.
Question For Tom Brevoort:
The QUESTION: Is the current version of the Cosmic Phoenix more potent than the Phoenix of the White Crown, or other version of the Phoenix in Marvel history?
I am not explicitly asking about Jean Grey versus other Marvel Cosmic-powered beings since the question is about Stephanie Phillips' Cosmic Phoenix and the Phoenix of the White Crown.
Thank you for your time and good work.
Also, I am not Patrick Thomas Cabahug, who bothered you last week. I'm his identical triplet brother, and I have another brother, Joseph Cabahug.
People have a strange sense of humor.
They do
One must wonder what others get out of such things.
I do have to ask. Regarding Imperial #1, what's with J'Son forgetting that he was trapped in Amber, and Peter being friendly with his father by forgetting that he committed genocide by wiping out Hala, or Nova forgetting that the Nova Corps were wiped out by the Universal Church of Truth in 2019 instead of by the Annihilation Wave in 2006, and forgetting that he's like brothers with Peter and that he said he loves him several times, or Ronan forgetting that he is dead and that the Royal Accuser is Lauri-Ell, or Kl'rt forgetting he swore loyalty to the Kree/Skrull Empire but is now a separatist, or Jen forgetting that she's a superhero and not reacting when Bruce murders someone in front of her, especially considering she's never been to Sakaar so she wouldn't know the custom, or Bruce gathering his family but forgetting about Skaar, or Hiro-Kala forgetting he was a sun, or every inhabitant of Sakaar En Nevo forgetting that the original Sakaar was restored in 2018?
I’m over stepping a bit here, but I find the way you’re asking this very rude.
I love that Tom takes time to interact with readers, because I wouldn’t when people “talk” this way to him.
There are ways to ask this same thing while treating Tom like a human being.
Look at the last issue of Legendary Star-Lord. It very clearly shows J'son drilling his way out of the amber slowly.
Yet he was absent during the Spartax offensive against the Grootfall, but now his reapparance doesn't raise any eyebrows from anyone? What'd I miss?
After Storm #9 i honestly think that Ororo fits the cosmic line way better than Jean tbh. Jean should be on earth with the X-Men and leave the entity stuff to Storm, which is outselling PHOENIX
I don't believe Tom Brevoort has plans to do that with Storm. As you read in Storm # 09, she has her issues. Besides, Storm is only the Avatar of Eternity. Take Eternity out of the Storm; she is just a regular Omega-level Storm. She isn't exactly Eternity made flesh. Compared to Jean Grey. Jean Grey is Phoenix, and Phoenix is Jean Grey. She existed before the creation of the cosmos. The Phoenix is much older than Eternity. Eternity exists in billions of years. Eternity said, "For the first time in the billion years that I have existed. My brother, Oblivion, will finally know the true meaning of fear. He and Hadad will know defeat by my hand."
Then, compared that to the Phoenix's words, "The beginning is nothing. Before the Cosmos took form, we were a flicker in the darkness...A manifestation of the universe's yearning for life. From the first thought that echoed through the emptiness. We were there. A Guardian of Creation. A catalyst for evolution. All life emerges from our flames... and so shall all life return to them." (Phoenix Issue 008). It already been settled what the Cosmic Phoenix role is, "I am the Phoenix, and I am eternal, from the ashes of every world I touch, new life will always rise, I am the Guardian of the cosmic balance, the keeper of the flame that ensures the universe remains ever in motion, ever alive, and I will extinguish any threat that dares to challenge the sanctity of existence." - Jean Elaine Grey, Cosmic Phoenix (Phoenix Issue 008, panel page 22).
Though I won't discuss the issue of who is more powerful, I will admit that Storm herself has limits because she is Eternity's avatar (I don't like to pit Storm vs. Phoenix). On the other hand, Jean Grey has complete control of who she is as the Phoenix. I don't care that Storm is outselling Phoenix. I want to read a good storyline. I'm not playing that game if you are hinting at Jean Grey vs. Storm. That's not nice. We don't pit sisters against sisters.
It's not my business but can I ask why you're pretending to be 2 people?
I am not. Patrick is my identical triplet brother. I have another brother name Joseph
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJR8JzEx4id/ I don't usually show my personal IG but this is a photograph of my two identical brothers, Joseph and Patrick, my older sister, Pamela and her husband.
https://substack.com/profile/287895350-emmanuel-cabahug/note/c-124037037
I guess you never heard of twins and triplets
So your logic is just because Storm is outselling that Phoenix means that Jean should drop what she's doing and let Storm deal with cosmic-level threats. It doesn’t work that way. The Phoenix has existed before time, and the Cosmos is her domain, not Storm. Eternity came when the Universe was created. Sales should not dictate who should take responsibility, and as my brother Emmanuel said. Eternity can just pick another Avatar, and Storm is just Omega Omega-Level Mutant with no cosmic power. Thereby removing her cosmic responsibility.
I vote Jean should drop what she's doing because it removes her completely and totally from her husband's life and the X-Men in general. I feel we need Jean as part of the X-Men, not just as the latest cosmic book that will fade eventually into the ether.
In the long run, involvement in X-Men stories is more of a winner than a solo book, so I'm inclined to agree.
I think a compromised is order Jean remains the Phoenix but rejoin the X-Men and do what she did during the Phoenix Saga, and X-Men when regain the Phoenix before she killed by Xorn. This way it make everyone happy
Hi Tom,
Have you ever read the Bristol Comic 200AD? I loved Strontium Dog more than Judge Dredd - if Carlos Ezquerra had drawn a Marvel Hero who would you have liked it to be? I do think he was a genius.
Thanks as always,
David
It's an unusual thing, coming up on an anniversary of a passing like that. I understand the melancholy. I lost two grandparents within a month of each other just two years ago now.
Editors I've seen move across various Marvel books with regularity. Are there any editors (assistant, associate, or otherwise) who are seen as uniquely equipped for specific lines or books, or is everyone expected to be equally proficient across all kinds of books? I guess what I am asking is, are certain skills or mindsets seen as fitting for some books and not others among editors?
Why do you think a Cyclops solo series isn't a viable long-term proposition? Magik, Jean, Psylocke, Storm, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Bishop, Domino, Iceman, X-Man... do you really believe that all of these characters are more popular than Cyclops? I mean, they've all gotten solo series, some of which are ongoing right now, but Cyclops continues to be treated like an E-list character. :((
Until recently, most of those characters did not had ongoing books. Gambit, Wolverine, and Cable did. The others I believe only had limited series, which Cyclops as a character also did. I recall one in the very early 2000s and one on the 2010s.
Hi Tom - news is coming out that the Marvel Masterworks line is being put on hold indefinitely.
What are your thoughts (I believe you worked on an iteration of the line in the 90s)? Do you think the 1980s is a natural end point to this series of reprints? Was the cleaning up of the artwork too much of a cost issue and do you think other formats will be able to do the same?
I personally would have liked to have the line complete a bunch of classic runs they are getting close to (my collector neurosis in full display) - Mazzucelli on DD, Simonson Thor, Buscema Avengers, etc..but that's as arbitrary as the next guy's endpoint - so I guess we're lucky to have gotten as much as we did!
Hey Mr. Tom Brevoort,
I’m sorry for your loss. Time can bring up feelings in unexpected ways.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question about the Cyclops solo series. I was hoping you could clarify what makes an ongoing series for Scott potentially unviable in the long term. In your view, what factors would need to be in place to make it sustainable?
To be honest, what niche would he occupy? Cyclops is all about the X-Men and derives much from being a leader. On his own what stories could you tell that don't make him Diet Hawkeye or Daredevil Zero?
I have good news for you.
Just as an element, it would be fun to explore his DJ side. I've enjoyed him as a sailor so some nautical stories would be fun. You could do some stories of him as a pilot. Honestly, finding yourself after dedicating your life to work is a real theme and a viable story strategy. Agreed that doing an ongoing is tricky though.
Cyclops isn’t just “the guy who leads the X-Men.” That’s part of his deal, sure, but the more interesting part is how much of himself he’s buried beneath that role. A solo series wouldn’t take that away. It would actually explore it. He’s not some knockoff Daredevil or budget Hawkeye and calling him that is lazy and disrespectful.
His niche is different: a tactical, emotionally-repressed strategist trying to hold himself together while carrying the entire legacy of mutantkind. He’s got internal conflicts, buried trauma, and a fractured underexplored past. There’s so much rich material that never gets space in team books.
And solos aren’t supposed to beat team books anyway. They complement them. Team books focus on the big picture. Solos let characters breathe. Let them feel. Let them screw up. Let them grow.
Plus, a solo gives Scott a chance to actually branch out beyond just mutant spaces. He could team up with Daredevil. Scott can fight blind, so Murdock helping him sharpen that would be incredible. Or go on an adventure with his brothers. Reconnect with the Champions from his time-displaced past. There’s so much potential. At the end of the day, it would be about Scott learning and unlearning things. There can be a running theme where Scott actually gets real therapy which can be shown here and there as issues progress.
He can still lead the X-Men in the main book while doing all this.
He deserves a solo because he’s one of the most complex and misunderstood characters in Marvel.
Questioning his solo potential like this often limits what stories a character can tell, boxing them into arbitrary boundaries instead of allowing growth.
I think you gave the game away there when you said much of the pressure on him cones from being a mutant leader. The fact is, there are less ways to tell an ongoing story with him that isn't in a team context. While everything you outlined can be done in a team book, over time and gradually.
I feel like I already said this clearly. A solo series isn’t about just his leadership role, it’s about exploring his personal struggles and growth in ways team books don’t have the space or focus to handle.
Team books are mostly about missions and group dynamics. Maybe introspective moments too, but those are few and far between.
If you think that covers everything Scott has to offer, you’re seriously underselling the character.
Last I checked, Jed McKay was covering his internal struggles already. I think people lack patience. Stories go on for years, as they always have.
Jed’s book is great, but it’s not a Cyclops solo. It’s an ensemble title with dozens of moving parts, and Cyclops has gotten maybe one panel of real introspection in 17 issues. And Jed should tell the story he's telling, but that doesn't mean there's no room or need for a separate, focused solo about Cyclops.
Telling people to “be patient” while minimizing the value of a solo series, shifting arguments every time a point is addressed, and reducing Cyclops to just “mutant leader” only proves you’re not here to actually consider the idea. You are here just to shut it down.
At this point, it’s clear this conversation isn’t about engaging with potential. It’s about defending a narrow view of who gets to grow.
I’ve said what I needed to say. I’m done here.
Hey Tom this is my first time making a comment here but I’ve been reading for a while. What sparked my interest was your claim that a Cyclops solo series wouldn’t be viable long term. It’s odd to me and a lot of his fans because he seems to be one of the main X-men without a solo at the moment. What determines viability? Is there something you have knowledge of that we don’t see that makes you come to this conclusion? If so can you share it? From what I’ve seen, his fans have been begging for a solo series for a long time and there have been writers who’ve been begging to write it. You’ve taken the chance with Psylocke, Magik, Storm, and Jean, I think the Cyclops fanbase would love if you took the chance with him as well. We see that with a writer and artist that genuinely loves the character, a solo could be good and last quite a while. Us Cyclops fans are waiting for our time to look forward to a solo just as we look forward to Jed Mackays excellent book. Is there anything us fans can do that could make you see that the demand is there?
I love Cyclops but I can't see an ongoing with him - he is too attached as part of the team - to the point where he left his wife and kid to go back to being a team leader in the 80s.He does not have much of a personality away from the X-men (or a girlfriend).
No rogues gallery to call his own really - I mean maybe there is something there with Maddie Pryor and Sinister but it is pretty convoluted.
Jean Grey tends to be a one-dimensional character who is only defined by the Phoenix force, being Cyclops' wife and Wolverine's girlfriend, and who is always dying and being resurrected in a constant cycle. And yet she has a solo book. So, just as the Phoenix book isn't for me, maybe you should consider that a Cyclops solo might not be for you.
Being in space and being cosmic opens story lanes, one would think.
Except Marvel Cosmic books don't tend to have a long lifespan and don't leave any lasting impact on the line when they peter out.
I don't think that's a good reason to not try something, because by that very token, Imperial wouldn't be happening.
The same can be said about Cyclops. There are many fans who would like a solo series. I couldn't care less about Phoenix at this point. Maybe in the next run she'll be an Inhuman or a Skrull and nothing related to Jean again.
... sorry are we talking about the same jean grey? A one dimensional character?!?! what on earth are you on about she's one of the most interesting and layered characters out there, there's so much more to her than just being the phoenix or her relation to cyclops and wolverine's girlfriend. I agree with your main point that cyclops might be able to hold a series and haven't been a huge fan of stephanie phillips' phoenix series, but you can't just get away with the utter lies and slander about jean
It’s simple to have Cyclops go on solo adventures the same way both Psylocke and Magik are right now. It’s the writers job to create rogues for him and a solo is a perfect way to introduce them without needing to focus on an entire team. The fact that he’s almost a clean sleight in that aspect is what has writers jumping at the chance to write him. His main goal is Mutant equality and relations. That’s his lane. Have him speak up for mutants, protect them, and discover himself outside of a team. Explore his trauma and what he’s gone through that’s always swept under the rug. Just because it’s a solo means he’s by himself. He can have a small cast around him, introduce new characters, make him experience new things. Everything you listed is a problem only if you lack creativity. And saying he doesn’t have a personality is wild lol
Anything you do in a solo can be done in X-Men though.
Solo allows Scott more room to breathe and really delve into who he is as a character. There’s nothing wrong with fleshing him out in a solo and have the team book focused on team dynamics. No one says “captain America and iron man don’t need solos cus their stories can be told in Avengers.” So idk why you’d want to limit Scott to only a team book
I think Captain America and Iron Man have around 50-60 years of history on their own. Avengers are a group of individual heroes. X-Men are a people.
Sorry I don’t agree with this. The writers and editors have fresh ideas and can easily establish cyclops’s backstory and also build a rogues gallery. There’s a lot he can offer even with his interaction with avengers and I want him to interact with guardians as well. Marvel needs to take the initiative they don’t seem to especially with Scott.
My point exactly. You just need creativity and vision. No solo character spawned with an extensive rogues gallery
He already has a backstory though. I'm confused by the desire for this. Has there ever been an X-Men solo story that was better than the actual X-Men book? Not even Wolverine under Hama managed that.
You're pointing to a storyline from the 1980s, and one that even then was wrapped in editorial mess and grief-fueled decisions. The whole Maddie-Jean situation is famously convoluted, but let’s move past that. Yes, Scott is deeply tied to the X-Men. But that’s not a reason against a solo, it’s the exact reason for it. That tension between personhood and duty, between “Scott” and “Cyclops"
As for saying he doesn’t have much of a personality? That's just not accurate. It’s more that team books rarely have the space to deep-dive into a character's personality. But it's there and we see it. He is emotionally repressed, deeply principled, driven by guilt and duty, loyal to a fault, often unsure if he’s doing the right thing but doing it anyway. Now, if you're saying he's cold or unlikable, that's the point. He’s not the charming leader. He’s withdrawn, calculating, emotionally bottled-up. He’s a contingency planner, often coded by fans as neurodivergent. And because of that, he's intensely relatable to people who don’t always see themselves in traditional superheroes. His story isn’t about being easy to like. It’s about being real and that’s exactly what makes him solo material.
Not every solo needs a traditional rogues' gallery either. Many of Cyclops’s greatest villains are systemic: the government, military forces, anti-mutant hate groups, and the legacy of mutant trauma. Plus there’s Sinister, Apocalypse, Bastion, and more. He's literally threatened most of the villians and I'm sure they all want him dead. He even has an evil ancestor, Amanda Mueller.
I'm interested to hear the answer to this too. Cyclops is the X-Men's Captain America and while I don't care for the character, Cap has legs. Why wouldn't Cyclops?
Hey Tom.
So if Cyclops is so unpopular that no one would read a solo ongoing about him despite being the first X-Man and being around for so long might as well retire him, right? I’m sure X-Men would do better if someone like Daken was the leader, he can carry a solo after all or maybe Psylocke given that she’s already on the team, surely being a d-lister despite being the leader of the X-Men for so long should be seen as a colossal failure. I mean even Squirrel Girl is way more popular based on Marvel Rivals.
Doe, chill. He didn't say Cyclops is a D-lister, he didn't say Cyclops is unpopular. Saying that a Cyclops ongoing may not be "a viable long-term proposition" isn't the kind of insult that you're making it out to be.
In overseeing the X-line (or any line of books), do you aim for a particular ratio of ongoing titles to limited series to one-shots?
Hi Tom,
Was there ever any thought given to having Sam Wilson become Captain America without retaining any Falcon accoutrements — just fully stepping into the role as himself?
I always thought that would’ve added a compelling layer: embracing all the racial dynamics and the challenge of not having the super-soldier serum, while learning to wield the shield without the safety net of his previous gimmick. Almost like a Batman-style reinvention — relying purely on peak human conditioning and determination.
I get the desire to preserve elements of Sam’s identity, but I wonder if visually diverging too much may have softened the statement. It’s hard to second-guess now that he’s the Captain America of the MCU, but it still feels a bit like a hat on a hat — layering Falcon over Cap instead of letting the new identity stand fully on its own. Clint Barton adopted someone else’s identity twice, and both times — as Giant-Man and as Ronin — he dropped the quiver of trick arrows. It’s hard to imagine he’d have been expected to keep them if he became Captain America.
YMMV, but to me it would’ve been more powerful — visually and symbolically — to see a Black man fully wearing Steve Rogers’ classic uniform, pirate boots and all. Sam is one of the few legacy characters who didn’t adapt to the mantle so much as blend it with his previous one.
And on that note:
Once Steve came back and a new Falcon had been introduced, was there ever any serious discussion of Sam keeping his Captain America costume but giving him the (frankly obvious) codename The Eagle?
It feels like a name that’s just sitting there, waiting to be used — unless the Jim Henson Company has a problem with it…
Thanks!
A LOT of Marvel games are being announced recently. How close is the relationship between Marvel Games and Marvel Comics? Are you involved in any game in any capacity whatsoever?
You seem to be a fan of Matt Wagner’s Grendel series. Got a few questions around that topic.
1) Are you keeping up with the “modern” releases? If so, what do you think?
2) I know Wagner has done very little work for Marvel thru the years. Surely he’s been approached thru the years for a project or two. Have you ever asked him to come aboard and join a project?
3) Given the success of the two Batman/Grendel minis (and even the Shadow/Grendel story) do you feel Grendel could be a good character for Marvel to crossover with? If so, which iteration?
Thanks for taking the time to check these questions out and for putting this out every week. It really is a lot of fun and I think I learn at least one new thing from every edition.
Hi Tom,
I just want to say that give cyclops a chance as an ongoing solo title. He always been a team member and leader. There’s a lot that can be explored with his character, he can interact with street level heroes in New York such as Matt Murdock and defenders. Then he has Corsair in space, also he has his panic attack which can be discussed. I believe he is an important character and is the core pillar of X-men. If psylocke and Magik can get a solo ongoing. I am sure Scott can as well. Our boy needs more prominence, specially now that we have seen how storm solo is ongoing and is received very well.
I think the best way to achieve this is to go big on whatever Cyclops mini-series happens. Show that there is an audience for the character in the long term.
Fairs