Comics If YOU Ran The X-Books

[Xofenroht]

Hmmm...

First of all I'd take Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler, and Emma. Other X-characters would be spread abroad. You'll find out why in a mutant.

I'd take Namor and turn him into a villain to be used against the human race (again). Really, I think he has the potential to make Magneto look like nothing. Here is a man with whole armies at his command to do his will. It would start with Cassandra Nova trying once again to rise to power and seemingly using him as a pawn. Then just when we think we've really lost Namor, he'd kill Nova (yes she'll die again) and lead his own war against humanity.

Jean of course would be alive somewhere in a distant country. We'd follow her around as she leads her own crusade...almost like Joan of Arc. Somehow she found a way to separate from the Phoenix force...the whole mystery of that will be developed during the series.

Logan would eventually leave the team to "find himself". I miss how he would disappear into the woods for long periods of time. I really do want to see him back to his more "Transcendental" roots with his connection with nature once again focused upon. With that said, he wouldn't be in every issue. I'm debating on whether or not I want to keep his adamantium or not, the irony would be astounding if he kept it. The dynamics of his feelings about Namor's reasons for waging the war against mankind will be touched upon. People will wonder exactly where he stands. He won't choose sides.

Storm would be the co-leader of this team after Scott grows a back bone and knocks Emma down a few pegs on the ladder. Once again I'd focus on the connection she has to Nature, as it would influence many of her decisions as team leader.


The over-all X-verse? With a present looking more and more like Days of Future Past the remaining mutants after House of M would have had to go into hiding. The mansion would no longer exist as it once was. Instead there would be mutant sanctuaries in various parts of the world for those mutants without the ability or money to simply blend in with their surroundings. The remaining X-Men would be safeguarding these sanctuaries. Some of them would do that, others would have branched off on their own to help humans in need around the world.

Magneto would be nowhere to be found. Quicksilver was assassinated for trying to form a revolution against humankind, but it would have been my another mutant after they'd thought him to be a fake.

Xavier lost his powers after House of M and he also lost his spirit to keep fighting.

 

[ghost113]

Thats weird I believe thats too big of a change but i like the idea of scott stepping up to emma she bosses him around to be honest

 

[Cyclops]

yeah but not much of a difference,
what would baby-jean do? Be a baby for the X-Men to take care of that everyone knows will one day grow up to be phoenix?

Or maybe she is already phoenix and phoenix baby helps them out with fights and stuff, you know like a floating firey toddler as back-up! That'd be cool!

Or maybe she's like the 'heart' of the X-men, the little psychic baby that goes into everyones heads and patches up the wrongs and makes them feel better, or maybe she drops hints about future dangers. Why not just make Cable a baby for everyone to take care of again?

Anyway, reincarnated Jean would be a one-trick pony thats appeal would wear away very fast. Give me hot redhead adult jean anyday. I wish they would do something different with her, but not THAT different.

As if she's not ALREADY one? Her appeal has already worn thin, the Phoenix thing is old old hat that has been re-invented too many times and should really be finished. Hell, Phoenix should have been over when she died in 1982, but nobody ever stays dead.

I'd actually have her reborn as the baby, and of course have her aging be fairly accelerated until she gets to adulthood. But I'd NEVER EVER EVER bring the Phoenix back. I'm sick of it, as I'm sure many others are. **** the Phoenix. Ball her up into a wad and throw her in the wastebin. She's had her time, now let Jean be an actual person.

 

[Muze]

agreed. i almost wish that the Phoenix never existed. having her be a powerful telepath/telekinetic is one thing but the multiple resurrections have worn thin. i'd rather just see Jean as Xavier's right-hand, the new headmaster of the institute, or even just the guidance counselor.

 

[Langoth]

Me? Personally, the first thing I would do, is break up Scott and Emma, yet never have Jean return, or at least not in the near future.

In terms of other things, I'd move Iceman up, and start having his real persona coming out. I don't think the Iceman we see is him, I believe it is a clever mask.

When push comes to shove, Robert will be just as evil and mean as he as to be in order to survive. I think Bobby acts this way, as he wants people to like him, and the real Bobby, is a much more cold human being.

I'd turn beast back into an ape, because I can't stand the cat.

I'd try to keep the new mutants at the forefront, or at least mix them more in with the current team.

I'd get my continuity in order as well, and start bringing in new villains, and occasionally old ones.

I wish Jean weren't so wrecked, but the Phoenix would be a can of worms I wouldn't want to reopen.

Admittedly, as far as I can see, almost all the characters I liked before are wrecked now anyway...

 

[XFanTim]

Magneto returns to the principal of "Mutants should rule the world for the good of mankind", and that's the way he stays. No more flip-flopping. Also, de-power him to at least his pre-Fatal Attractions level. (I blame his ridiculous power level for the fact that they keep killing him -- at this point, having him alive but not ruling the world strains credibility.)

Juggernaut returns to his classic power level (on par with people like Hulk or Thor). He gets kicked off the X-Men (because he can't adhere to their rules) and then becomes a sort of an anti-hero. And this point, I wouldn't buy him going back to being strictly a villain, but I could see him as someone who tries to be good but can't resist temptation.

Establish a do-not-kill list, including any character sufficiently important that fans would demand their return. (Keep the list secret, of course.) Then, make the rule if someone dies, they STAY dead.

Every mutant gets one power. (Maybe some secondary powers if they relate to the main power -- e.g. telepathy + telekinesis.) Also, no new powers once a characters powers are established (but they can learn to use their old powers in new and better ways.)

Wolverine is limited to ONE book only. Also, his healing factor is toned down to the point where it could take him days to recover from really severe injuries (like it used to be.)

Eventually, public knowledge of the X-Men's headquarters comes back to bite them in the ass. Their enemies attack and kill a bunch of their students. This forces them to split into several smaller largely-independent groups (one for each X-Men book), and to go on the road, operating in secret without a permanent base.

Each team should have a distinct purpose. One polices evil mutants. One tries to aid humanity, and thus improve the public opinion of mutants. One seeks out new mutants, protects them, and trains them in the use of their powers.

Add another mutant faction, so it isn't just Xavier's we should live in peace with the humans vs. Magneto's we should rule over the humans to ensure our own safety. Something in between, like we should avoid contact with the humans, ignore them if they ignore us, but retaliate against them if they attack us.

 

[ghost113]

Iceman hasn't been funny in months.

 

[GreatWhiteWhale]

Add another mutant faction, so it isn't just Xavier's we should live in peace with the humans vs. Magneto's we should rule over the humans to ensure our own safety. Something in between, like we should avoid contact with the humans, ignore them if they ignore us, but retaliate against them if they attack us.

I like it, your ideas are simple enough and would help to clarify the X-Books a great deal. I'm not sure about the regression though (In regards to Magneto and Secondary powers), i don't know if a lot of the new fans would buy into it. And, despite House of M, Marvel does seem to have a policy of 'evolving the universe' with books such as New Avengers, Young Avengers, New X-men and what has been/will go on in the Spider-man books (although that is pure conjuecture).

There have been half a dozen 'third' factions. The Morlocks being the most memorable, there was also the mutant community from Peter David's Golgotha Arc, Claremont's Neo, Ellis's Psychic Commune from X-Man, The Genoshans, The United Nations...

Most of these groups have had the attitude that 'We don't want to integrate or dominate, we're mutants and we're different and we just want to celebrate that difference' but a handful of them have had different views. However, these factions usually got lost among history because their views can't stand up to the dominating polar extremes of Magneto and Xavier's visions.

 

[ghost113]

I actually really like these ideas but somone already wrote about a town where only mutants live. I even think that's where the new X-factor takes place

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

This is how the actuall books would go..

Uncanny X-Men: Take Emma Frost off the X-Men,have Cyclops go on a quest to bring back Jean.Bring NightCralwer and Colossus to the X-Men which will be Wolverine,Storm,Havok,Psylocke,Captian Britain [!] and Rouge.

X-Factor : Wolfsbane as leader,Polaris as second in command.Multiple-Man,and Banshee for wild cards

Cable:Since Apocalypse is "dead" there is no real use for him.I would have him taken out,to make room for Rachel.

Rachel:Put Rachel back as the only Summers child.Possible reveal her as Wolverine`s daughter.

Re-establish Generation X and put X-23,Arana there.

 

[ghost113]

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....okay

 

[Ikenheimer]

Magneto and others are always saying that there is going to be a war between mutants and humans, well why not actually have one?

good point. I like Nightwolf's main ideas, but I would go about it in a different way. this is somewhat inspired by X2's plot with Stryker, House of M and partly by Morrison's work with Cosanadra Nova.

Magneto would come accross a new mutant with telepathic abilities that rival Xavier's, but this would be a young mutant with very little understanding of the two visions (mag's and Xavier's). Magneto would talk him into helping him start a war, by explaining to him that humanity has always wanted mutants gone altogether, but they are too cowardly to make the first move. but Magneto doesn't want to start the war either, thinking that he can manipulate the X-Men into fighting on his side. Magneto plans an attack on some government instillation or some other important human landmark and the X-Men jump to save the day. while they are away Mags infiltrates the mansion and gets his new telepath lackey to use Cerebro to increase the aggression or testosterone count, or whatever, in their minds to make the humans want to fight mutants. one thing leads to another and we have all-out war.

meanwhile, on the SHIELD hovership, protected by a telepathy blocking sheild, Nick Fury and his agents are uneffected by Magneto's telepath and they decide to set things right. He calls on the X-Men for help. the team is seperated because of different missions so some of them get Fury's message and some don't. the ones that don't get contacted by SHIELD join the war on the mutants side. Magneto feels very pleased with himself, but doens't realize that not ALL the X-Men are present.

so we have Cylcops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Kitty, and Beast with Nick Fury and the rest choose to fight. Emma starts out with the others on the hovership, but soon decides she is board and, giving in to her violent nature, chooses to go join the war with the others. eventually Xavier unites all the X-Men and they work to correct what Magneto did, but not before Emma Frost dies. Nick Fury will die in fighting too, openning up the leadership possition with SHIELD, which Cyclops will be offered, but will turn down.

there you go. that's my idea. of course there's go to be more to the ending, but you can all imagine that for youselves (X-men save the day in a very heroic and violent way).

 

[Nightwolf]

Thanks Ikenheimer, i didnt think anyone even read my post .

 

[Ikenheimer]

Thanks Ikenheimer, i didnt think anyone even read my post .

yeah, out of all the other ideas your's was the one I liked the most. not to say some of the others weren't good. but after HoM #8 I'm not sure my ideas would work.

 

[GreatWhiteWhale]

good point. I like Nightwolf's main ideas, but I would go about it in a different way. this is somewhat inspired by X2's plot with Stryker, House of M and partly by Morrison's work with Cosanadra Nova.

Magneto would come accross a new mutant with telepathic abilities that rival Xavier's, but this would be a young mutant with very little understanding of the two visions (mag's and Xavier's). Magneto would talk him into helping him start a war, by explaining to him that humanity has always wanted mutants gone altogether, but they are too cowardly to make the first move. but Magneto doesn't want to start the war either, thinking that he can manipulate the X-Men into fighting on his side. Magneto plans an attack on some government instillation or some other important human landmark and the X-Men jump to save the day. while they are away Mags infiltrates the mansion and gets his new telepath lackey to use Cerebro to increase the aggression or testosterone count, or whatever, in their minds to make the humans want to fight mutants. one thing leads to another and we have all-out war.

meanwhile, on the SHIELD hovership, protected by a telepathy blocking sheild, Nick Fury and his agents are uneffected by Magneto's telepath and they decide to set things right. He calls on the X-Men for help. the team is seperated because of different missions so some of them get Fury's message and some don't. the ones that don't get contacted by SHIELD join the war on the mutants side. Magneto feels very pleased with himself, but doens't realize that not ALL the X-Men are present.

so we have Cylcops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Kitty, and Beast with Nick Fury and the rest choose to fight. Emma starts out with the others on the hovership, but soon decides she is board and, giving in to her violent nature, chooses to go join the war with the others. eventually Xavier unites all the X-Men and they work to correct what Magneto did, but not before Emma Frost dies. Nick Fury will die in fighting too, openning up the leadership possition with SHIELD, which Cyclops will be offered, but will turn down.

there you go. that's my idea. of course there's go to be more to the ending, but you can all imagine that for youselves (X-men save the day in a very heroic and violent way).

... That's actually a pretty good idea for a summer 'event' somewhere down the line. Killing Emma and Nick is pretty Ballsy, and offering Cyke the Shield job makes sense (although someone from inside shield would probably be more logical).
I think the junior telepath is a really really good plot device/character. Really good idea, kind of like how 'youth is the future, but we educate them and influence a future which only the youth will ever live', also it gives a kind of escape from the opposing ideologies which alot of the audience is going to want to do.

The Cerebra thing is a pretty direct homage to X2, and I think Magneto has been worked pretty hard as a manipulative villain post Fatal attractios, Magneto War, Planet X and Eve of Destruction. But who knows? The audience definetely can respond well to what they are familar with.

(Also i'm sure the Avengers and the other heroes would want to have their input in such a large scale event).

I think that especially now, post house of M and seemingly post Xavier and Magneto, the timeframe for the possible climax of the 'Mutant/Human' War has been and gone. Given the right circumstances, it would have been a shocking and daring (and albeit entertaining) move on Marvel's behalf, a move that sadly now, has missed the boat.

This isn't to say it couldn't happen in ten or twenty years down the line, but it's unlikely to happen anytime in the near future, given the current mutant status ( of a few hundred) in the Marvel U. If the mutants really fought back against the tensions they we're experiencing post House of M, it wouldn't take much to really f*** up there future as superheroes, and as a key element of the Marvel Universe.

 

[OutcryX]

so the X-men are gonna go back to being a band of 'outlaws'?

 

[Ikenheimer]

...

(Also i'm sure the Avengers and the other heroes would want to have their input in such a large scale event).

Good point. and yeah, I formulated this idea before HoM #8 came out, so now it seems highly unlikely. think there's any chance of it being worthy of an Ultimated plot?

oh, and thanks for the props. SNOWCONES FOR EVERYBODY!

 

[ghost113]

Yeah , Snowcones. I want blueberry.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

... That's actually a pretty good idea for a summer 'event' somewhere down the line. Killing Emma and Nick is pretty Ballsy, and offering Cyke the Shield job makes sense (although someone from inside shield would probably be more logical).
I think the junior telepath is a really really good plot device/character. Really good idea, kind of like how 'youth is the future, but we educate them and influence a future which only the youth will ever live', also it gives a kind of escape from the opposing ideologies which alot of the audience is going to want to do.

The Cerebra thing is a pretty direct homage to X2, and I think Magneto has been worked pretty hard as a manipulative villain post Fatal attractios, Magneto War, Planet X and Eve of Destruction. But who knows? The audience definetely can respond well to what they are familar with.

(Also i'm sure the Avengers and the other heroes would want to have their input in such a large scale event).

I think that especially now, post house of M and seemingly post Xavier and Magneto, the timeframe for the possible climax of the 'Mutant/Human' War has been and gone. Given the right circumstances, it would have been a shocking and daring (and albeit entertaining) move on Marvel's behalf, a move that sadly now, has missed the boat.

This isn't to say it couldn't happen in ten or twenty years down the line, but it's unlikely to happen anytime in the near future, given the current mutant status ( of a few hundred) in the Marvel U. If the mutants really fought back against the tensions they we're experiencing post House of M, it wouldn't take much to really f*** up there future as superheroes, and as a key element of the Marvel Universe.

Thats actually a good idea,someday there should be a recon of some of the loose ends in the Marvel Universe,but it should be done carefully,with fan input also.I doubt anyone wants another failed HoM.There should be some conflict,perhaps Humans killing mutants.Similar to the X-Men graphic novel/God Loves-Man Kills.

Marvel should also know when to kill characters,and when to bring them back.Cable,Bishop,Emma Frost...they should all be dead.

No spamming.

 

[OutcryX]

Bishop should NOT be dead...Cable should be a small child. I see no reason why Emma should die

 

[Ikenheimer]

Bishop should NOT be dead...Cable should be a small child. I see no reason why Emma should die

well, she's always talking about killing people-how bout we see it happen to her

 

[ghost113]

Emma should die in a school shooting by one of the students like one of those kids that shoot up the school because of depression

 

[Xofenroht]

Emma should die in a school shooting by one of the students like one of those kids that shoot up the school because of depression

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

 

[The Bruce]

Kill off a great deal of books - and leave some core-books, that deal with the original premise of the X-men comics...Have them all working in the same continuity...And no more x this, x that!

Only X-men books and some solo books like Wolverine. Use the huge cast of characters to spice it all up.

 

[Lazmarquez]

I think I'd definetly knock off a few books and re-organize the teams that have been put together thus far. I'm a fan of continuity, so no do-overs or erasing of the past type of things If I ran the books. I'd keep the teams in a place where they were strongest and most practical in their inter-personal relationships.
Here's a run down (It's not perfect and I'll be taking it from where the X-Verse is now. Just after House of M)..

I'd definetly leave the Astonishing Team relatively untouched, because it's the best working team on the books now and I really enjoy their interactions and contrasts. They define some great aspects of X-Men. I would definetly urge to take the whole Hellfire direction in which Joss intends to invest in, to a different level. I'd like him to create a very epic story, for I know he is capable of such a thing. I'd also like to see Xavier make more appearances in this book after his problem in Genosha with the team.

The book I'd most change would be the Uncanny Book. First, I would urge a more stable, real, and risk taking writer to tackle the book. Claremont has not been doing a good job as of recent, and his choice of artists has been extremely lacking. (I personally enjoyed SOME of his work on X-Treme with Larroca). I'd love to take Marvel Girl out of the mix, for she only serves as a Jean replacement. In some storyline I'd like to discover the possibility of a return of Jean Grey and her placement in this team among: Storm, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Sage, Bishop, and Psylocke. I think the personalities could mix well due to the fact that they all seem like the most troubled and serious of the X-Men teams. they take their work seriouly and care for betterment. I'd love to continue the idea that Claremont had fooled with previously of this being a team that no longer felt Xavier and his ideals were what they had learned. This team would be outsiders and rebellious, constantly examining the dark sides of their histories. Which is a lot potentially for this group. I'd prefer having Steve McNiven penciling this book with Morrisson or Bendis writing.

Then there's X-Men Team which is also a huge mess. I'd get rid of Polaris and Havok, seeing that this book is already too much of a Lifetime Series rip off with the whole Lorna/Havok/Iceman Drama and the whole Rogue/Gambit Drama. I'd keep the following characters on the team: Rogue, Gambit, Iceman (De-Mutantized by Scarlet Witch in House of M, so we can see his struggle and showing someone can still belong in the group), Angel, and keep Emma as her recurring guest star self. I like her balance with this team. I'd like to change this books artist to Frank Quitely and written by Greg Pak. I'd like this to explore a lot of the more terrible, public issues of being a Mutant. The hate crimes, the murders, the whole bid ordeal.

So thats a basic run down of what I'd like to do. It's not perfectly thought out, but the best I could think of in 5 minutes. I'd definetly like to take risks. ESPECIALLY with Xavier's involvment on the teams and bringing into light, a slew of things from the past. I'd love to create a villian out of one of the main characters on the teams, for I feel the best villians are those rooted in the family of it all. Some possibilities I would like to try out would be: Iceman (bitternes after his de-mutinization caused a breakdown), Rogue (She finally snaps and gives in to all those voices in her head for good. Giving some very interesting Villian visuals of her haunting everyone with their own memories)
Not sure, but there are my few ideas.