When talking about World War Hulk: X-Men, it's easier to just list off who will confront the Green Goliath: Colossus, Wolverine, Cyclops, Charles Xavier, the Beast, White Queen, Kitty Pryde, the New X-Men
and the Juggernaut. Writer Chris Gage has the good fortune to be assigned to this three issue mini-series which takes place in the opening hours of the Marvel's World War Hulk event. The first book hits stores on June 20, 2007.
Rather than take up more time with this introduction, we'll get right into our interview. Also be on the lookout for the first eight pages of World War Hulk: X-Men, which you'll find throughout this feature
IGN Comics: So I heard this mini-series is basically about a tea party between the Hulk and Charles Xavier. How accurate is that?
Chris Gage: Yeah! -laughs- There will be lots of debating about philosophy, art.
IGN Comics: Awesome, sounds like a very formal affair
I guess maybe you should actually explain what the books are about. -laughs-
Gage: So, Professor X was a member of the Illuminati, though he wasn't a part of the group that exiled the Hulk. But the Hulk has discovered that Xavier was supposed to be there that day at that meeting. So the Hulk has some pointed questions for Xavier, and he shows up at the mansion. He shows up at a time when the only senior instructor there is the Beast. So the Beast, the New X-Men and Xavier are there, and then a bunch of other students.
Now, the Hulk has no idea about M-Day. He has no idea most of the mutants have been eliminated. What he does is create a very volatile situation because the students in the mansion represent about a quarter of the mutants remaining on Earth. So, if the Hulk knocks the mansion down on top of them, that's basically genocide.
From there fighting breaks out. The New X-Men start out against the Hulk, hoping to last just long enough for the Astonishing X-Men and the rest of the guys to get home. So essentially we have three issues of fighting. -laughs-
IGN Comics: So why do this project? What about it attracted you?
Gage: Honestly Andy Schmidt called me up and said, "Hey, how would you like to write the World War Hulk mini-series where Hulk fights the X-Men?" And I said, "What X-Men can I use?" His reply was, "Whichever ones you want."
So who's going to say no to that? Andrea Di Vito was going to draw it, and I've been just amazed at how he's been able to pack scenes in Annihilation with like 8 million bug ships. So I figured he could fit a lot of characters in there, and I thought that was perfect because I wanted to fit as many mutants in here as I could.
IGN Comics: So are you more of an X-Men fan or a Hulk fan?
Gage: Um, it's hard to say
I pretty much read both for many, many years. There were some drop offs with both, but it's never been one or the other.
IGN Comics: Favorite X-title at the moment?
Gage: Probably Astonishing. The storytelling reminds old school guys like me of when there was one ongoing title and there wasn't like five that you had to keep track of. I mean, I read them all now, and they're all good, but I think Astonishing has brought some people back who didn't want to buy five X-books.
IGN Comics: Favorite hero and villain from the X-verse?
Gage: Hmmm
favorite hero I'd say to be Nightcrawler. As far as villains
it's kind of a tie between the Blob and the Juggernaut. And Blob has been de-powered, sadly, so he's not in this. But the Juggernaut is!
IGN Comics: Now, I'm curious about this
I saw a couple convention panels where you said you wanted to get the Juggernaut in the book, but couldn't figure out how. What did you settle on?
Gage: Well we did some panels at the New York Comic-Con and Wizard World Los Angeles, and at both we kept getting questions about the Juggernaut, and whether the Hulk would fight him. And I said at the panels that I felt it would be hard to justify getting him from London to Westchester in time for the battle. Of course everyone at the panel kept saying "Shi'ar technology!" and throwing out all of these things. Fans were like, "Yeah! Come on, don't let that stop you!"
So Andy and I talked about it. We both wanted it to happen, and so it does! It's actually gone on to be quite the big confrontation in the mini-series. It's not just stuck in there. I was only starting to write issue #2 when all of that happened, so there was plenty of room to put him in there without it feeling tacked on.
IGN Comics: Where does this mini-series fit within the sequence of World War Hulk events? We know he fights Black Bolt before landing on Earth, and we know there's a fight with Iron Man later in the issue, where does he have time to have a brawl with Xavier's students?
Gage: Well, without giving away plot points from World War Hulk, the Hulk essentially arrives on Earth and makes some demands. During the time period where he's waiting for those demands to be met, he has time to go to Westchester.
IGN Comics: So if the Hulk can take down Black Bolt, do the X-Men really stand a chance?
Gage: You know it's funny because I've been looking online and there have been people saying, "Well all it takes is one telepath and it's over!" Well, that's actually not true because in the past the Hulk's mind has proven very difficult to control and very difficult to manipulate. So some people think it's a slam dunk for the Hulk and others are saying it's a slam dunk for the X-Men. Put the Juggernaut back in there, especially if it's at his full power, which I'm neither confirming nor denying, and it's quite a battle.
Also remember that in the past Hulk and Wolverine have had quite the throw down. Although this time it's interesting because the Hulk is very strong and, while not genius, smart. So smart can actually translate into mean. So this time around the fight is pretty hardcore. I had fun writing it so hopefully people will have fun reading it.
IGN Comics: You mentioned the New X-Men are essentially in Round One. This made me curious because the New X-Men have this tendency to
die. A lot.
Gage: Right! -laughs-
IGN Comics: Do Chris Yost and Craig Kyle know you're playing with their toys? Were you able to smash any of them?
Gage: I did confer with them and I know they're very excited about it.
IGN Comics: To see who you're going to kill?
Gage: Yeah, well, no
I'm not one to break other peoples' toys. Although they probably would have been into it had I wanted to do that. -laughs- But they were great as far as figuring out when this would take place in New X-Men continuity and also in terms of getting the voices of the characters right. For instance I had figured Rockslide was Hispanic, but he's actually Italian. So I had him cursing in Spanish, and now he's cursing in Italian! Well, not cursing but using a choice word for the Hulk.
IGN Comics: So I think you've established pretty well that there's going to be some action. What dramatic elements will be present?
Gage: There is going to be some character stuff going on. Obviously the focus is on the action, but there are character elements including first of all, a number of the X-Men are fighting to defend Professor X, but a number of the X-Men aren't entirely happy with a number of the things he's done lately or the things that have been revealed from his past. So essentially you have people laying down their lives for someone they think has done them wrong. You get into the whole dynamic of a group that is family but not on good terms. How strong are those family ties?
Individual characters will also have their own struggles, things they have to get over and choices they have to make. There will be at least one character that emerges from this with lasting consequences.
IGN Comics: Regarding Xavier, most if not all of the X-Men are fully aware of Vulcan and the Deadly Genesis revelations, but will the X-Men discover their mentor was in the Illuminati?
Gage: Um, not in this mini-series
Now, on this I only know as much as you might, but I think I saw an interview with Bendis where he said by the end of the Illuminati the world knows about the Illuminati. My understanding is that, as of this mini-series, they do not.
IGN Comics: So we know that Angel is sympathetic with the Hulk. Does he arrive with the Hulk?
Gage: He doesn't. Basically the stuff with Angel happens after this mini-series. As we were discussing, World War Hulk: X-Men essentially takes place within the first 24 hours of his arrival. While Angel is probably meeting Amadeus Cho around that point, the stuff with the Hulk occurs later. There won't be a crossover, though it would have been interesting to see what the other X-Men would think of that
IGN Comics: Will we see any other X-Men that are sympathetic to the Hulk's situation? It seems like many of them could relate given the theme of being cast out from society.
Gage: Yeah, generally speaking
had their been different circumstances, it's entirely possible that the X-Men, or at least specific members of the team, might have come down on his side and understood where he was coming from. But the specific circumstances here, where the Hulk is threatening their home, and where any mutant that dies is a huge loss to the mutant race as a whole, given all of that, there isn't too much of that sympathy. Angel pretty much embodies that view point.
IGN Comics: Will we see the Hulk's Warbound mixing it up?
Gage: They will not. And I know some fans wanted to see how the X-Men would react to the Hulk having a member of the Brood on his team. That would have been interesting. But I was already trying to juggle more mutants than you can probably fit into a cafeteria without violating the fire marshal code. -laughs- It's just the Hulk - he's enough.
IGN Comics: We were hoping you could tease us as to what's going down with a few of the inevitable confrontations coming up
the first being Iceman, particularly since he's an Omega Level mutant.
Gage: Well the only team I wasn't able to use was the adjective-less team. I didn't realize that until later because the editor sat down, looked at their adventures, and realized there wasn't a spare moment where they could have come back to fight the Hulk. So I was told I couldn't use them. That was actually a blessing in disguise because I was getting to issue #3 thinking, "Oh my God, how am I supposed to get all of these characters in here?" It worked out for the best. I know some people are going to be disappointed, but that's the way the ball bounces.
And the cover had for issue #3 by Ed McGuinness had already been drawn by that point, which why they're there but not inside. But it's too nice a cover not to use.
IGN Comics: Just to make sure - we're getting a one-on-one with Wolverine and the Hulk?
Gage: Yes, definitely.
IGN Comics: Basically the last two are similar. You already touched a bit on psychic abilities, but we'd like to know about Xavier and the White Queen.
Gage: You'll see Professor X try to confront the Hulk and use his abilities at the end of issue #1. You'll see what happens there
IGN Comics: The cover, essentially? -laughs-
Gage: Essentially, yeah. -laughs- The White Queen will be attacking the Hulk on two different fronts. One is telepathically and the other is in her diamond form. She can't use the one when she's using the other, so she's going to have to choose which to use under various circumstances.
IGN Comics: Character that will surprise readers the most during the series?
Gage: Character that surprises the most
I wouldn't say just one character actually, but I would say the New X-Men. I think a lot of readers might be surprised, and I don't want to give anything away, at how they are able to even survive for more than five seconds against the Hulk. It's a big moment for them. I think it's not going to shock anyone when I say they don't beat the Hulk -laughs-, but the fact that they're even able to make a good showing of themselves will surprise some people, but hopefully it will be believable and understandable.
IGN Comics: Alright, give us a few "Holy ****!" moments from the series, if you will?
Gage: I would say
-chuckles- Well, first of all I'd say keep an eye on the Wolverine vs. Hulk confrontation. Keep an eye on the Juggernaut. And also you'll see why Kitty Pryde could potentially be the most lethal member of the X-Men.
IGN Comics: Well she did put the White Queen into some rock a few months ago
Gage: Yeah! So let's see what else
there will be a test of strength between the Hulk and Colossus as well.
IGN Comics: Awesome! Alright so
all said and done
and let me remind you that I was originally thinking this to be a pleasant afternoon out with the Hulk
is this going to have even a remote chance of ending pleasantly?
Gage: -laughs- Well
it depends on who we're talking about. For some of these characters it may be a happy ending, for some it might be bittersweet and for some it might just be
unpleasant.
IGN Comics: Maybe it's a happy ending if they actually get to live
Gage: You know
yeah, I'd say if there's any mutants left standing then there's your happy ending.
IGN Comics: Well thanks for your time, Chris! Talk to you soon.
Gage: Thanks!
http://comics.ign.com/articles/795/795411p1.html
t:
Just... WOW.
