Comics Official UNCANNY X-MEN Discussion Thread

[Havok83]

When Messiah Complex came and went, the Marvel editorial directive was to make Uncanny once again the flagship title - taking that role away from Adjectiveless X-Men, which had really become the flagship for the time, from at least Morrison's reign on the title. At the time, Brubaker was still on Uncanny, soon to be joined by Fraction, and whether it was both their choice or they had no choice at all in the matter, it became known that as a flagship, Uncanny would be containing pretty much the entire mutant roster, and that roster would be rotating from issue to issue or arc to arc.

That's what Marvel wanted. The problem isn't that Uncanny has Scott and Emma, because as the damn flagship title of the mutant-verse, it should have the mutant ringleaders. Astonishing probably shouldn't have Scott and Emma, and its line-up should have changed from Whedon's line-up, but I guess you don't say no to Warren Ellis unless you want scorched earth. Still, it doesn't matter so long as he's doing his own thing with those characters and not stepping on Uncanny's toes, which so far has been the case.

I think you mean Astonishing bc X-men stopped being the flagship title the minute Morrison left. Nothing about Milligan or Austen's X-men screamed flagship. Astonishing was marketed as the top book and its cast was the one that was pushed forward

 

[javi1024]

i brought up this concern of us fans when i talked to Fraction and Alonso(?) at comic con. i asked him if there were any plans in the future to reorganize the books to resemble the old blue and gold days and Fraction's response was "God I hope not. I hated those books!" he said he likes the freedom to use any and all characters and being able to take persons ABC on a plane to Scotland without worrying about being tied up by another writer in story XYZ. and he promised fan-favorites like Psylocke and Iceman will have large parts to play very soon. his reaction was "would you rather have all your favorite guys at once with small meaningless appearances, or having a story revolved around them where they can truly shine".

they also described Astonishing as the 'All-Star' title for X-Men. with Uncanny dealing with the move the San Fran and now the whole Utopia crossover happening (with X-Nation around the corner), Astonishing is where you have the best of the best in classic adventure stories. they didn't comment on Legacy though (probably cuz Carey wasnt there).

when they describe it like this, i can kind of understand and appreciate the titles more, but there is still that part of me who feels they way a lot of us do and want variety in the casts.

 

[Havok83]

that response actually makes me more worried for the near future of the X-line. The core books are a mess but fortunetly the spinoff teams are doing much better

 

[roach]

i brought up this concern of us fans when i talked to Fraction and Alonso(?) at comic con. i asked him if there were any plans in the future to reorganize the books to resemble the old blue and gold days and Fraction's response was "God I hope not. I hated those books!" he said he likes the freedom to use any and all characters and being able to take persons ABC on a plane to Scotland without worrying about being tied up by another writer in story XYZ. and he promised fan-favorites like Psylocke and Iceman will have large parts to play very soon. his reaction was "would you rather have all your favorite guys at once with small meaningless appearances, or having a story revolved around them where they can truly shine".

they also described Astonishing as the 'All-Star' title for X-Men. with Uncanny dealing with the move the San Fran and now the whole Utopia crossover happening (with X-Nation around the corner), Astonishing is where you have the best of the best in classic adventure stories. they didn't comment on Legacy though (probably cuz Carey wasnt there).

when they describe it like this, i can kind of understand and appreciate the titles more, but there is still that part of me who feels they way a lot of us do and want variety in the casts.

isnt what we are getting now?
I dont think that if Carey had a story with Iceman, Rogue, Gambit and Psylocke going to Scotland it would effect a story in the other two books

 

[Specter313]

isnt what we are getting now?
I dont think that if Carey had a story with Iceman, Rogue, Gambit and Psylocke going to Scotland it would effect a story in the other two books

And that's exactly why they're doing it like this. Carey could do that, and get away with it easily, 'cause they're not tied down to Uncanny. Then Fraction could turn around and use some of them next arc. Any of the writers, save maybe David, could use any character and probably get away with it without stepping on another writer's toes. It lets the writers have more freedom with their works and will lend them to worrying more about the quality then trying to stuff everything in continuity with the other books.

 

[roach]

And that's exactly why they're doing it like this. Carey could do that, and get away with it easily, 'cause they're not tied down to Uncanny. Then Fraction could turn around and use some of them next arc. Any of the writers, save maybe David, could use any character and probably get away with it without stepping on another writer's toes. It lets the writers have more freedom with their works and will lend them to worrying more about the quality then trying to stuff everything in continuity with the other books.

but they arent doing it. Cyke and Emma are hogging all the acton

 

[Havok83]

And that's exactly why they're doing it like this. Carey could do that, and get away with it easily, 'cause they're not tied down to Uncanny. Then Fraction could turn around and use some of them next arc. Any of the writers, save maybe David, could use any character and probably get away with it without stepping on another writer's toes. It lets the writers have more freedom with their works and will lend them to worrying more about the quality then trying to stuff everything in continuity with the other books.

when did actually writing with continuity in mind bcecome a bad thing?

 

[javi1024]

when did actually writing with continuity in mind bcecome a bad thing?

it sounds more like he's referring to something like how did Kitty have time to fight the Marauders and get caught flying through space in a giant bullet at the same time. both events happened right before Messiah Complex started, but if you try to put them in any order chronologically it doesnt make sense. with an open-door policy you can avoid something like this much easier.

 

[Manic]

Just have characters in multiple books at once, and when they die or disappear or drastically change in one, just assume the other took place before that.

 

[El Bastardo]

I think you mean Astonishing bc X-men stopped being the flagship title the minute Morrison left. Nothing about Milligan or Austen's X-men screamed flagship. Astonishing was marketed as the top book and its cast was the one that was pushed forward

No, I didn't mean Astonishing, because Astonishing was not a flagship title. Even given the star-power of its creators, Astonishing was envisioned originally as a 12-issue maxiseries, and then extended to a 24-issue maxiseries before being turned into an ongoing. It was "the Whedon book," not the X-flagship.

Adjectiveless, however, was. It might not have seemed it under Austen and Milligan, because both wrote a bunch of crap, but at least Austen's Adjectiveless crap was almost worthwhile. Entertaining, at least. But even considering Milligan's stories, he handled a threat on earth, the return of Apocalypse, and whatever other stuff, all while the Uncanny team was futzing around in space, or if Brubaker wasn't on the title yet then the half-cocked Uncanny team was doing something Claremontian and stupid and useless to any type of plot at large. And then Carey came on Adjectiveless, did a couple big ideas, and started pushing toward Messiah Complex.

Adjectiveless was the flagship title, not Astonishing.

 

[Havok83]

it sounds more like he's referring to something like how did Kitty have time to fight the Marauders and get caught flying through space in a giant bullet at the same time. both events happened right before Messiah Complex started, but if you try to put them in any order chronologically it doesnt make sense. with an open-door policy you can avoid something like this much easier.

Kitty was a special case though. The main reason that that even occurred was bc of the massive delays on Astonishing. 2-3 months would go by between issues and it couldnt keep up with the rest of the X-world. That made it difficult to coordinate events and characters. It shouldnt be much of an issue with the books that can keep a regular schedule which happens to be all of them except for Astonishing, which isnt even as relevant anymore

 

[Havok83]

No, I didn't mean Astonishing, because Astonishing was not a flagship title. Even given the star-power of its creators, Astonishing was envisioned originally as a 12-issue maxiseries, and then extended to a 24-issue maxiseries before being turned into an ongoing. It was "the Whedon book," not the X-flagship.

Adjectiveless, however, was. It might not have seemed it under Austen and Milligan, because both wrote a bunch of crap, but at least Austen's Adjectiveless crap was almost worthwhile. Entertaining, at least. But even considering Milligan's stories, he handled a threat on earth, the return of Apocalypse, and whatever other stuff, all while the Uncanny team was futzing around in space, or if Brubaker wasn't on the title yet then the half-cocked Uncanny team was doing something Claremontian and stupid and useless to any type of plot at large. And then Carey came on Adjectiveless, did a couple big ideas, and started pushing toward Messiah Complex.

Adjectiveless was the flagship title, not Astonishing.

I cant see how X-men could ever have been considered the flagship title. If anything, Uncanny under CC was more deserving of that title over Milligan and Austen's book. That felt more like a B list, especially in comparison to Morrison's run which it followed. You have to consider the context of what was going on a few years ago. New X-men (written by Morrison) was the flagship X book and then there was X-treme by CC and Uncanny by Austen. ReLoaded came and reshuffled the books. The New X-men cast transfered over to Astonishing, X-treme morphed into Uncanny and Uncanny transfered over to X-men. X-men lost its flagship status when this all occurred. Marvel stropped treated it as such and it and its cast didnt get the push and exposure that it previously had. Nope, that all went to Astonishing and that was what was exposed to the greater Marvel Universe and what Marvel had appearing all most of the X-men mini's, oneshots, guest appearances, etc...

 

[El Bastardo]

The writers and editors SAID Adjectiveless was the flagship, when really Uncanny should have been, hence the switch. I don't care if you agree or don't - considering they're the guys in charge, they're the guys who know what they're talking about.

 

[Specter313]

but they arent doing it. Cyke and Emma are hogging all the acton

In the current arc, yes, but that's because the story revolves around them. But the past have seen focus also put on Beast, Colossus, X-Club, Pixie, Wolverine, among others. As stated before, Scott and Emma are considered the mutant leaders right now, so they're always going to be up in the spotlight for the time being, but to say that some others haven't been featured is pushing it.

 

[Specter313]

when did actually writing with continuity in mind bcecome a bad thing?

I never said it was. Just with the way they're trying to do things now, they don't have to really worry about stepping on one another's toes.

 

[Specter313]

it sounds more like he's referring to something like how did Kitty have time to fight the Marauders and get caught flying through space in a giant bullet at the same time. both events happened right before Messiah Complex started, but if you try to put them in any order chronologically it doesnt make sense. with an open-door policy you can avoid something like this much easier.

Just have characters in multiple books at once, and when they die or disappear or drastically change in one, just assume the other took place before that.

Pretty much this. Kinda like how everything with Angel turning back into Archangel went down.

 

[Havok83]

The writers and editors SAID Adjectiveless was the flagship, when really Uncanny should have been, hence the switch. I don't care if you agree or don't - considering they're the guys in charge, they're the guys who know what they're talking about.

if you say so, bc Ive also read them consider Astoninshing the flagship book prior to Messiah Complex. The very first solicit for the series named it as such

"GIFTED" PART 1 (OF 6) Dream-team creators JOSS WHEDON (creator of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and JOHN CASSADAY (Planetary, CAPTAIN AMERICA) bring you the explosive #1 issue of the all-new flagship X-Men series! As part of X-MEN: RELOAD, this issue marks a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men.

http://marvel.com/catalog/?id=660

 

[El Bastardo]

Yes, because considering a limited-edition and chronically late title as the flagship makes perfect sense.

 

[Havok83]

Yes, because considering a limited-edition and chronically late title as the flagship makes perfect sense.

no one said it made sense, but then again not many things at Marvel always have. Its massive delays have been a complaint plaguing it from early on.

 

[UraniaChang]

but they arent doing it. Cyke and Emma are hogging all the acton

Kind of hard to expect a leader not showing his face in a middle of a story/situation, unless we're talking about the leader of North Korea and Al Qaeda, besides, I'm glad to read some power struggle and ideology diversity of characters without the usual "I'm awesome because I'm almight powerful, and I can do everything because of it" characters.

 

[Mr. M]

No matter what happens, I just hope that Cloak, Dagger, and Namor stay on. I wouldn't complain if Mimic did as well. I say they continue to be kind of the "mutant police" and keep those guys together. I would make a few changes to the roster but as long as those 5 stayed in...well...I'd be a happy camper.

 

[roach]

Kind of hard to expect a leader not showing his face in a middle of a story/situation, unless we're talking about the leader of North Korea and Al Qaeda, besides, I'm glad to read some power struggle and ideology diversity of characters without the usual "I'm awesome because I'm almight powerful, and I can do everything because of it" characters.

thats like saying that every story about Navy Seals should feature President Obama.....
look every team should have a cast of characters different from the others. So if Scott sends a team to Genosha for some mission then that story is in Xmen, if scott whats to handle the mission himself then it should be in Astonishing and if at the same time something else happens then you send the Uncanny team.

 

[Havok83]

I dont like that Scott leads all the X-teams except for X-factor. I wish there was more independence without them having to report to him. Many of these characters have years of experienced and are qualified leaders and dont need him to oversee everything. He's starting to become like a dictator and I wish more of them would stand up to him. I hope once all his lies, deception and shadyness is revealed, that that is exactly what happens. Emma too, bc she has this power over the teams based on the fact that she's sleeping with Scott

 

[UraniaChang]

I'm saying that he'll definitely show up in pretty much everything X-related, not the world should revolve around him, but the DX storyline is centered on him and Namor's team's diversity, it's inevitable.

 

[UraniaChang]

I dont like that Scott leads all the X-teams except for X-factor. I wish there was more independence without them having to report to him. Many of these characters have years of experienced and are qualified leaders and dont need him to oversee everything. He's starting to become like a dictator and I wish more of them would stand up to him. I hope once all his lies, deception and shadyness is revealed, that that is exactly what happens. Emma too, bc she has this power over the teams based on the fact that she's sleeping with Scott

A dictator is someone decides everything for you, but aside from the field, Cyclops never really cares what his teammates do with their lives, or tell them what they should do.